Independence
by MeAndTheWeirdo
Summary: The moment England set his eyes upon the young nation, a long and heartfelt tale began. This is basically a written up version of "America Cleans His Storage Room".
1. Acquaintance

**-Chapter 1-**

_1607._ Acquaintance

I never forgot the moment I gazed into his eyes.

His eyes were blue as sparkling azure and innocent as an angel. His light blonde hair fell down his face in a wild manner- not as feral as mine although.

"Mr. England...?" he softly murmured. It was a gentle, quiet voice much like fragile ripples against a serene pond. The boy's stare fell upon me.

"Of course. America." At that moment, I took his pale hand in mine.

"Tea's on me, okay?" I offered, beginning to walk. America nodded, a smile upon his face. Which brought a smile upon mine too.

The thoughts of finding America raced back to my head. It was a frantic struggle with France- the winner keeps the child. And against all odds, America picked me. Even will my terrible cooking.

Drops of rain started to fall. I stared into a nearby puddle. My hair was golden and scruffy as hell. (It literally looked like that I have never used a brush before in my life!) My eyes were green accompanied by a pair of thick eyebrows which I have grown to love.

I stared at America's reflection. There were no similarities between us at all apart from our comparable hair colours. Would he ever feel happy living with someone like me? Maybe he would have a better life with France. If he ever felt left out, it would all be my fault.

I changed my view back to America. The poor boy had fallen asleep while still holding my hand. I chuckled under my breath as I picked him up and shielded him from the rain.

"Good night to you too America..."


	2. Brothers

**-Chapter 2-**

_1629._ Brothers

"This is for me? Really? Wow, this is awesome! Thanks England!" His grin grew wider.

"Sure, take good care of it. And I'll try to be more careful next time I use a hammer..." I over my broken arm in bandages.

In a flash, America opened the lid of the fancy I gave him to reveal his present. The moment that lid unlocked, America's expression went into total astonishment.

"Wow, look at all the different soldiers! Even their faces are unique!" America continued, digging through the wood-carved figures.

"Of course, I hand-painted them after all," I beamed, as America was still jumping in excitement over his new gift.

"When I'm older I wish I have a big army like yours!"

A smile appeared; I wrapped my (good!) arm around his shoulder.

"I'm sure that when you grow up you'll have the biggest army the world will ever see!" I cheered on.

America giggled, hugging me in return.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" I quickly rummaged through the inside pockets of my jacket to find it. Seconds later, my hand emerged with a small red box.

"Here you go." I handed it over to the boy. Curiously, America opened the cover and gasped.

Inside were another two dolls. One had blonde hair and blue eyes. The other had golden hair and green eyes.

"E-England...! It's us!" America gasped, still in shock. I grinned.

"I thought you might like it. Anyway, I have to go now. I have an appointment with France."

I turned around and started to head towards the door.

"England, wait!" America frantically cried. I slightly looked over my right behind me with the two dolls that represented us in his hand. Then I realised he was holding out the one that looked like him.

"Take it," he said. Interested in what he was doing, I knelt down and accepted the figure.

"Now we'll be together no matter what happens to us. Even if you're on the other side of the world, this doll will remind you of me and my doll will remind me of you. We're brothers, right?"

I couldn't speak.

"Oh America...! Thank you..." I gave the boy a big hug. A small tear appeared in the corner of my eye.

"Now I really have to go," I chuckled as I stood back up.

"Say 'hi' to big brother France for me. And hurry home!"


	3. Violation

**-Chapter 3-**

_1763._ Violation

America's face was in utter disgust.

"No way! Over my dead body!" I rolled my eyes as I shoved the suit into his face.

"I don't care if it's not your style. Your wardrobe is getting sloppy and you and I have a very important meeting tonight!" I argued back. However, America still refused to wear it.

Several days ago, I came back from fighting in the Seven Years War. When I opened the door, I was greeted by a man with his arms wide open in glee. It took me several minutes to realise that the grown man was indeed, America.

"I don't like it!" he whined, thrashing his arms around like a child throwing a tantrum.

"Oh shut up. Doesn't it look much better?" I sighed. My answer was a stubborn "no!"

"What if someone saw me in this get-up? Just get it off me!" I gave in. I took the suit off of him.

"Burn it! Burn that thing so that I'll never have to see it again!" America yelled, shoving the clothes away in hatred.

"Drama queen..." I muttered under my breath.

I glared at France from the other side of the back. Around a long table, were France ,Spain, Portugal, I and America who was sat on my right. We have been called to sign The Treaty of Paris, which will confirm the end of the Seven Years War.

"Alright, have we all signed it?" Spain piped up. We all nodded in agreement.

"Okay boys, I'm glad this war is behind us," the Spaniard continued, "and congratulations to England, who has now become the world's leading colonial power." A quiet wave of applaud followed afterwards.

"Thank you all. And I'm sure that we're all grateful that this horrendous war has finished," I announced.

At that moment, France stood up and cleared his throat.

"Yes indeed, many happy returns. Bu tAmerica, I'm surprised you were satisfied with this signing..." he sighed. I growled under my breath. It was obvious he was trying to wind me up.

America replied in confusion.

"What? You mean you didn't read England's terms regarding _you_?" France urged on. In a hurry, America snatched the treaty from the Frenchman's hands and scanned it.

France smirked evilly at me. I shot a dirty look at him. Just what does he thin-

America gasped horrified.

"England! Why?" America cried out, slamming the contract onto the table. I didn't understand.

"What the hell are these taxes?" he roared, pointing out a specific paragraph.

"What do you mean? This war sucked most of my money down the drain. So I decided to tax several products of which you'll have to pay more for," I calmly replied. But America wasn't as calm as me. In fact, he was red in the face.

"And you didn't tell me? You just signed it, thinking that I wouldn't mind?"

I nodded.

And I swear at that moment, America snapped.

"No taxation without representation..." he murmured quietly.

"Huh? What did you-"

"I said 'no taxation without representation'! This is tyranny, violation of my rights of being an Englishman!" he yelled some more.

I was taken aback. I didn't think he would be this upset about some tax.

Then it hit me.

"Are you rebelling against me, young man?" I quarrelled . A deviant smile.

"Oh yes I am. This is treason and I'll make the most of it."

It was then I regretted meeting him.


	4. Revolution

**-Chapter 4-**

_1775-1783._Revolution

_July 4th 1776_

His stare was hard and cold.

"It's official. Congress approved of it today."

I glanced back at him, my fingers shaking as I held the contract in my hands.

"Is this for real? Get over it America, this is just some childish tantrum..." I nervously stuttered. America's expression didn't change.

"I'm being deadly seriously...

_We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness._ Second line, look it up."

By now I had sweat dripping down my face. Ever since the Treaty of Paris, America had been fighting back against my authority.

"Sorry England, but I'm choosing freedom. I'm not a kid anymore. I'm not your little brother either. As of now, I'm declaring my independence."

All thirteen colonies have revolted against me, declaring to be recognised as 'The United States of America'. What had happened to that innocent child I met many years ago? I raised him as my own and now he's all grown up.

"America..."

"Face it."

I could feel my heart pound deafly in my ear. He really has grown up. Without _me_.

"Face it. The war is inevitable; and let it come! I repeat, Sir, let it come!"

And somehow I couldn't accept it.

America was right. I sparked revolution which turned into war. On April 19th 1775, the battles of Lexington and Concord started it all. Spain declared war against me in 1779 and France became America's new brother in 1776. Maybe I was right. France should've taken the child a century ago instead of me.

I had a score to settle with France. If it wasn't for that bloody toad speaking up in 1763, America wouldn't feel so angrily fuelled. Or maybe he might. One way or another he would know about the new taxes and laws. America was still young and had no allies- and thus he turned to France, who recognized him as in independent nation.

**-The Siege of Yorktown-**

_September 5th 1781_

The Battle of the Chesapeake. I faced the Frenchman from my side of war. A cruel shine flickered in his eyes.

"How nice to see you England..." he chuckled. I had suffered the most damage. My navy couldn't rescue some of my forces at Yorktown and now I couldn't touch France's connection to Yorktown either.

"This is all your bloody fault!" I roared back to his sarcasm. France just laughed. What did America really see in him? He had blonde wavy hair and blue eyes that looked just like America's. Did he feel more connected to him than me?

"_My_ fault, mon chéri? Why, it's America's who wanted to be his own nation and you wouldn't listen to him. I see this as all _your_ fault."

_October 9th 1781_

Their guns were in place. France opened fire then America followed two hours later and completely smashed my defences. They fired all night, leaving me in pieces. Physically and emotionally.

_October 16th 1781_

The day I will never forgot for the rest of my life.

His stare was cruel and unforgiving against the strong beats of rain. He owned the entire battlefield.

"England, give it up. You've lost the war."

He held his head high, musket in hand. In the background, I could see France giving yet another malicious grin.

_'He's all grown up. He doesn't need you anymore. You're just holding him back from greatness,'_ I could picture him saying. Fury built up in my heart.

'_And whose fault is this? Not mine, nor America's. You're the one to blame!'_

Then America stepped forward.

"America, just answer me one thing. Why are you doing all this?"

America stopped.

"You silly Englishman. I only want one thing... give me liberty or give me death!"

In a flash I bolted towards America, a cry emerging from my throat.

_Crash!_

I slammed my musket straight into his- making him drop it- and glared right at him.

"I won't allow it! I won't allow it America! You don't have the strength to stand up on your own!" I bellowed as America stared down my gun.

What was in his eyes? Anger? Vengeance? _Fear?_

Finger on trigger. Gun aimed at his face. It's all up to me.

I wanted to look in his eyes before the bloodbath began. America was dressed in a costume designed for this moment. The innocence of his stare plagued me. What if he really wasn't bad? What if he was ready to just... _move_ _on_?

"Mr. England..." he whispered.

I had to. He was making a fatal mistake.

I withdrew my musket away from him.

"I... I can't do it..." The gun fell from my numb fingers. My eyes blurred- maybe from the rain. Maybe from tears.

"Why... why dammit...?" Before I knew it, tears poured from my eyes. I slumped on the battlefield as I sobbed for countless minutes.

"England..."

I looked up. America sighed.

"You used to be so big..." he murmured. I scanned the crowd behind him.

"And you used to be so small..." I replied, as I tried to count the soldiers.

America slowly nodded. He stuck his hand into a battered pocket and seconds later took it out with something gripped inside. His hand opened to reveal a small wooden figure. It had familiar golden hair and green eyes. He placed it steadily on the wet soil.

"Just so you know I never stopped caring for you once."

Then it settled in.

More tears trickled down my face. For the first time in eighteen years, I realised how much I cared for America. And the whole reason why this stupid war is still going is because I won't let him go.

"Come on men, let's retreat. There's no point attacking now."

I saw America's blurry silhouette walk away. The rain continued to hammer down.

"And I never stopped caring for you too."

America looked over his shoulder.

Weakly I held up another figure. It had light blonde hair and blue eyes. "Never once did I stop caring for you at all."

Silence. I hesitated. My eyes were too blurred to see what was happening. He thinks I'm stupid. He thinks th-

Suddenly, someone quickly grabbed me. For a second I panicked, thinking that an enemy had captured me. I blinked to get rid of the tears and looked forward.

It was America.

Tightly, he held me in a warm embrace that brought back memories. I dared not breathe as the rain drummed down on us.

"You silly Englishman... we're brothers after all... right?"

War ended with The Treaty of Paris on September 3rd 1783. From that day on, America was his own nation.


	5. Present Day

**-Chapter 5-**

_Present day._

Yes, America had grown up but he never forgot about me at all. Through the years, I helped him through the thick and thin; and even though America is a grown man, I'd still help him. Ever since America became recognised as his own nation, he made remarkable achievements. He launched the first man onto the Moon and became the world's sole superpower.

"America, I know I keep on telling you this but I worry about your dietary habits... you're going to kill yourself." I mumbled to him. We were sat around a table at a G8 meeting. "What? I'm _way_ too into myself to do something that stupid!" he laughed back, stuffing himself with yet another hamburger. I sighed. He's never going to change.

The meeting continued but all we really did was argue about small things. It was then I let myself slip into a daydream. I drew out from my pocket the small figure that resembled America. The thing was pointless now, especially because America had grown and looked different than he did in the 17th century. But I didn't care. It brought back many memories- both good and bad.

_September 3rd 1783_

I finished signing it.

"America. I finally acknowledge the Thirteen Colonies no longer part of theBritish Empirebut now, the Thirteen United States of America."

A smile grew on our faces.

"You grew up way too fast for me," I chuckled as I handed over the Treaty of and held up his glass of red wine.

"A toast!" he cheered. I laughed and held up my glass too.

"Independence forever!"

And our glasses met.

* * *

_"Without Freedom of Thought there can be no such Thing as Wisdom; and no such Thing as Public Liberty, without Freedom of Speech."_

-Benjamin Franklin


End file.
